Apparatus for hydrocarbon conversion



jan. 3, 1950 G. l..A JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR HYDROCARBON CONVERSION Filed Aprii 17, 194e CONVEYORS 5 Sheets-Sheet l il@ @-My,

AGENT 0R ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1950 G. l.. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR I'IYDROCARBON CONVERSION Filed April 17, 1946 3 Sheets'Sheet 2 JWM,

INVENTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 GRA N RW Y O E TH N N R J m N w -1. @A f R 9J o 3 M T 7 E m f. /o

Patented Jan. 3, i950 'UNITEQY STATES PATENT OFFICE" ArrAaA'rUs ron nrnnocAnBoN coNvEasroN George L. Johnson, New York.' N. Y., assignor to Socony-Vacunm Oil Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application April 17, 1946, Serial No. 882,691 5 Claims. (Cl- 23288) This invention has to do with apparatus for contracting gaseous materials with a moving mass of particle form solid material. Exemplary of the processes for which it may be used are gasadsorption, gas purification, gas-solid heat exchange, the treatment of solid materials, ore roasting and the thermal or catalytic conversion of gaseous materials or materials resulting in gaseous products. An important application is the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons, it being well known, for example, that petroleum gas oils boiling within the range of about 450 F. to 800 F. upon being contacted with certain solid adsorbent materials at temperatures usually above about 800 F. and pressures usually above atmospheric may be converted to lower boiling products containing gasoline. Such a process may be conducted continuously by passing a particle form catalytic material as a substantially compact column cyclically through a conversion zone wherein it is contacted with hydrocarbon reactants to effect the conversion thereof and through a separate regeneration zone wherein it is contacted with a combustion supporting gas acting to burn off of said catalytic material carbonaceous contaminants deposited thereon during the hydrocarbon conversion.

The catalytic material in such a conversion process may take the form of natural or treated clays, bauxites, alumina, inert carriers having cer- .tain metallic oxides deposited thereon or synthetic associations of silica, alumina or silica and alumina to which may be added small amounts of other materials such as certain metallic oxides for special purposes. Such catalytic materials when employed in a process wherein they pass through lconversion and regeneration zones as substantially compact columns or beds may range in particle size from about 4 to 100 mesh and preferably from about 4 to 8 mesh as measured by Tyler standard screen analysis.

provement in apparatus wherein particle form solid owsiownwardly as a substantially compact column or bed.

The successful operation of processes involving continuous ow of particle form contact mass material as in the hydrocarbon conversion and catalyst regeneration steps of a continuous conversion process such as described hereinabove, requires that the rate of flow of contact material be uniform throughout the gas-solid contracting zones. When particle form solid material is dis-v charged from the base of a vessel of large crosssmall cross-sectional area relative to that of the vessel, the velocity of solid flow will vary widely across the vessel and will be greatest in those portions of the vcssel cross-sectional area vertically above the outlet.

A major object of this invention is the provision in a vessel through which a particle formv solid material ows as a substantially compact column and is withdrawn from the bottom thereof through an outlet of small cross-sectionalarea relative to that of said vessel, of improved-apparatus adapted to provide uniform, uninterrupted downward ow of solid particles substantially across the entire cross-sectional area of said vessel.

A further object of this invention is the provision, in a continuous catalytic conversion process for hydrocarbons wherein a particle form catalyst passes cyclically through reaction and regeneration zones in each of which it moves as a substantially compact bed of an improved catalyst withdrawal means permitting a complete and uniform utilization of all the portions of the flowing bed in both the reaction and the regenration zones.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention. Turning now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a highly diagrammatic showing of the 3o entire cyclic setup for accomplishing the conversion of hydrocarbons in the presence of a moving column of particle form contact mass material. Figure 2 is an elevational view, partially in section of a-preferred form of the invention. Figure 3 is a plan view taken at line 3-3 in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a plan view taken at line 4-4 in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a plan view taken at line 5 5 in Figure 2. All of these drawings are highly diagrammatic in form.

Turning now'to Figure 1, this figure shows in highly diagrammatic form a setup of apparatus lin-which the invention may be practiced. This apparatus consists of a reaction chamber l0 through which there is moved as a moving column a flowing stream of particle form solid contact mass material. Hydrocarbons to be reacted, supplied to the system through pipe l I are subjected to the charging stock preparation step indicated at I2, and from I2 flow through pipe Il into reactor I0. The charging stock preparation step will in general consist in the main of heating the hydrocarbon stock to provide it in vapor form and at reaction temperature for entry to the reaction zone. The heating equipment used may sectional area through a bottom outlet having a 55 be any of the usual forms of apparatus suitable 3 for this purpose and will usually and prefer-v ably includea pipe still -form of heater. The stock preparation step, it is also understood, may

contain, if necessary, provision for separating 'from the 4material flowing through pipe II any portion which is not suitable for charge to reactor I8. For example, if a crude oil were charged through Handit was desired to pass only gas oil through pipe I3. the stock preparation step would include appropriate fractionating equipment, evaporators, vapor heaters, if necessary, and similar equipment capable of segregating from the charge only that desired portion to be con- -verted and bringing it to the proper temperature retreatment with or without 'prior passage through a stock preparation step.

It will be understood that heat exchangers and similar heat recovery arrangement may be applied at any point wherenecessary'or appropria Purge gas is introduced near the lower end of the reactor I Il through pipe I1 and may be permitted to pass up through the reactor and out.-

with the reaction products. The solid material, substantially free of reactant vapors passes through a valve I9 or any similar device, capable of controlling the rate of passage of solid material. which device, if desired, may be so designed as to assist in the proper isolation of the reaction zone and other portions of the system. The solid then passes into elevator 28. It is there` in hoisted and discharged into the top of regenerator 22, to pass therethrough as a moving colf. umn. The regeneration' usually involves a Icontaminant combustion reaction and to effect it, regeneration medium may be introduced at 23 and withdrawn at 28. A heat exchange fluid may be introduced at 28 and passed through heat transfer tubes (not shown) within the regen-- erator and withdrawn at 21, so as to remove from the regenerator excess heat liberated by contaminant combustion. vRegenerated contact material is withdrawn from the bottom of the re-` generator through conduit 29 at a rate controlled by valve 28 and then passed tov conveyor 38 by which it is conducted to a reactor supply hopper 3l. 'I'he catalyst ows by gravity from supply hopper 3| through elongated feed leg 2I into the reactor I8. `An inert gas such as steam or flue gas may be introduced through conduit I8 at the top of reactor III to help prevent escape of react` ants through feed leg 2l. In both the reaction and regeneration vessels it is important that the flow of contact material through said vessels be uniform across the entire vessel cross-sectional area in order to provide uniform contact of solid particles with the gaseous material. To this end, at the bottom of both the regenerator and reactor there are provided structures as discussed in the following figure. Turning to Figure 2, there is shown a preferred construction adopted at the bottom of the re-` generator 22. In Figure 2, the regenerator terminates in tapered section 82 leading to a discharge duct 29 upon which there may be mounted. avalve or other control device 28. .This throttling valve should be positioned at least two diameters below the upper end of duct 29 in order to insure substantially uniform solid flow across,l v the entire area of the duct 29 at its upper end-.1,1-

Within the lower section of vessel 22 is disposed'v a partition l I8 extending horizontally across the lower end, of the regeneration zone or what may be termed the upper end of a connecting vzone connecting the regeneration 'zone to the discharge duct. Below the partition I8, are spaced three other partitions 35, 38 and 31. In the uppermost partition I8 are a plurality of holes 25 substantially uniformly spaced across the partitioncrosssectional area. These holes may be equall'rcular holes or holes of any other shape such as' slots which need not be equal so long as the aperture' area per unit of partition area is uniformly distributed. 4Inthe succeeding partitions 35, 38

and 31, are a progressively decreasing number'of holes, which are horizontally staggered with respect to the holes in the partition next above so as to receive the proper proportion of vcontact material flowtherefrom. In Figure 3 there is shown a View` taken at line 3-3 of Flgure- 2 showing the hole arrangement in partitions I8 and I. 35. In Figure 3`may be seen Partition I8 `with holes 25 arranged in uniformly spacedv parallel rows extending across the partition. The'dotted lines represent the positioning'of thev holes 32 in partition next below. lIt will be seen that the,`

holes 32 are of such size andso arranged that each hole 32 receives the entire flow from fourv holes 25 in partition I8.. In Figure 4 is shown respect to holes in partition 38. The arrange-l ment shown in Figures 3 and 4 is a preferred arrangement 'of vessels of rectangular cross-sectional shape. For vessels of circular crossfsectional shape, a circular row pattern or a triangular 4or hexagonal pattern of staggered holes or rows 'of holes is preferred. Dependently associated with each of the holes in partitions 35, 38 and 31 are tubes 38, 39 and 45 which should preferably be of a length equal to about twice their diameter. These tubes while not essential have been found to provide somewhat improved ow control.

length of the tubesand the spacing of the partitions should be such that a line drawn from the lower end of any tube to the hole below to which it feeds solid material should not be of a slope less than about 35-45 degrees. The conduits vdepending from any partition should be of sufilciet total internal cross-sectional area as to allow the maximum anticipated rate of solidfiow therethrough.

It is generally desirable that the size of holes in successive partitions downward progressively increase since their numbers decrease. `Thefdischarge duct 29 should be positioned symmetrically with regard to the flow from the tubes 45 thereabove. It will be seen that the entire arrangement is such that a large number of comparatively smalll individual streams uniformly distributed are withdrawn from the bottom of the column of contact material in the. regenerator and these streams are then stepwise and symmetvrica1ly combinedor merged until a single dis- The' charge stream is achieved. This may be done in four steps as shown hereinabove or for' smaller vessels in two or three steps or for very large. vessels in more than four steps. This much of the apparatus described hereinabove has been used in commercial apparatus and is not claimed in itself as this invention. The apparatus thus far described has been found to provide a uniformity of solid flow within a vessel of large cross section never before achieved. It has been found, however, that occasionally particles of foreign matter such as pieces of asbestos insulation or refractory material find their way into the circulating stream of catalytic material. These foreign particles may be of much larger diameter than the catalyst particles and may be of suillcient size to partially or completely plug the orifices 25 in the uppermost partition I8, thereby preventing the partition and orifice arrangement from properly controlling uniform catalyst flow in all sections of the vessel cross-sectional area.

It has been found that this ,difficulty may be eliminated by the improvement to the above described apparatus which will now be described.

Turning again to Figure 2, there is supported bye suitable means across the lower section of the ybe nil. The angle of internal flow for particle form clay type catalyst falling within the size range 8-60 mesh has been found to fall within vessel 22 and at a fixed level above the partition I8, a perforated partition or sieve 40 having uniformly distributed perforations therein of substantially greater size than that of the catalyst particles involved but of substantially smaller size than the holes 25 in the partition I8. The partition or sieve 40 serves to retain any foreign matter which might plug the holes 25 and the retained matter may be periodically removed by entrance through manhole 4I o n the vessel shell. It will be clear that a relatively small amount of foreign matter lodged in some of the holes 25 in partition I8 could close off a substantial proportion of the flow area in the vessel. On the other hand, since the total area available for solid flow through the sieve 40 is much greater than that offered by the holes 25 in partition I8, the same amount of foreign matter retained on the sieve 40 would not close of! a substantial proportion of the flow area in the vessel. The intervals between shutdowns to clean the sieve 40 will, consequently. be relatively great as compared with those between shutdowns required to clean out the holes 25 in the absence of the ksieve 40. Thus, by use of the sieve 4I), satisfactory continuous, uniform operation over long periods of time is insured. The positioning of the partition or sieve 40 with respect to the partition I8 has been found to be of considerable importance. While the partition and hole arrangement described hereinabove serves to insure substantially uniform catalyst flow in all parts of the vessel cross section thereabove, there will exist a short zone directly above the uppermost partition wherein the catalyst iiow is not uniform. The height of this zone of non-uniform catalyst flow depends upon the spacing of the holes in the uppermost partition I8 and upon the angle of internal flow of the particular catalytic material the range about -75 degrees. In Figure 2, the

shaded areas 43 indicate the zones wherein there is substantially no catalyst flow and the line 48-88 represents the level in vessel 22 above which uniform solid flow may be expected. It has been found that if sieve 40 be positioned at a level between line 46-48 and partition I8, then the solid material will not flow through the sieve in those zones shown at 43. This means that in many cases, with the sieve in such a position, the sieve itself would offer an undesirable restriction on the solid flow. Moreover, the foreign matter retained by the sieve would be'retained only in those sections thereof directly over the orifices 25 in the partition I8 therebelow. In other words, only a small portion of the sieve cross-sectional area would be available for screening out foreign matter from the moving catalyst. As a result the usable portion of the screen would be prematurely blocked by retained foreign matter; and since the catalyst could not flow through those sections of the sieve lying in the zone 43, the total flow of catalyst from the vessel would be throttled by the blocked sieve below the desired;

rate. When this happens, the portion of the vessel and drain leg below the sieve 40 tends to empty of catalyst thereby permitting excessive escape of reactant gas through the catalyst drain leg. It has been found that if the sieve 40 is positioned at a level above the level of the points of convergence of converging lines drawn upwardly from adjacent orifices in the uppermost partition I8 at the angle of internal flow of the catalyst involved, then the entire cross-sectional area of the sieve l0 is usable for solid fiow therethrough and for retaining large particles of foreign matter from the catalyst stream. The sieve 40 may take any of a number of forms provided that the openings for solid ow therein are of smaller dimensions than the holes 25 in the upinvolved. The angle of internal flow may be estimated by observing the zone of catalyst flow in a vessel above a central bottoni outlet having a cross-sectional area which is small relative to that of said vessel. It will be found thatthere is a central'zone wherein catalyst flows which zone may be said to be defined roughly by the locus of revolution (about the vertical axis through the bottom outlet) of 'an upwardly extending curve of approximately parabolic shape.

permost partition I8 and are sufficiently large to impose substantially no resistance to the flow of catalyst particles therethrough. In a preferred form the sieve 40 may take the form of subway grating such as shown at 40 in the plan view of a section of vessel 22 taken at line 5-5.

While the improved combination of apparatus elements has been specifically described in connection with a catalyst regeneration vessel, it will be understood that the combination may be applied to a conversion vessel orto any vessel involving solid flow as a substantially compact column or bed through a gas-solid contacting zone. details .of apparatus construction and of application of this invention described hereinabove are merely exemplary in nature and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of this inven' tion except as it may be limited in the following claims.l

I claim: v

1. In an apparatus for hydrocarbon conversion y in the presence of a moving substantially compact column of particle form catalyst, apparatus for effecting uniform flow of catalyst across the catalyst to the upper end of saidchamber, a discharge conduit for withdrawal of catalyst from the lower end of said chamber, said discharge It will be understood that the particular y 1 conduit being of substantially less cross-sectional area than said chamber, ilow throttling means on said discharge conduit, a partition extending across the lower section of said chamber; a plurality of uniformly spaced oriiices in said partition arranged to subdivide said column into a plurality oi uniformly spaced streams, means to proportionately converge said streams into said discharge conduit, a sieve positioned -across the lower section of said chamber at a level above the level of convergence of lines drawn upwardly from the nearest edges of adjacent orices in said partition at an angle with the horizontal equal to about 65-75 degrees, said sieve having openings therein .which are uniformly distributed across the chamber irrespective of the positioning of said orifices in said partition and which are smaller in size than said oriiices but of suiiicient size to permit substantially unrestricted ow of said catalyst therethrough.

2. A reactor for the conversion of a reactant in the'presence of a moving particle-form solid contact mass material with substantially equal exposure of all points of the contact mass comprising a'chamber having a closed bottom terminating in a discharge duct, ilow throttling means associated with said discharge duct, means to supply contact material to the upper portion of said chamber, means to supply reactants to said reactor and meansito remove reactants therefrom, at least two horizontal vertically spaced partitioning plates across the lowerv portion of said chamber, the uppermost partitioning plate having a plurality of uniformly distributed apertures therein and successive partitioning plates below said iirst partitioning plate having progressively decreasing numbers of apertures therein, said apertures in any one of said successive partitioning plates being horizontally staggered with respect to apertures in the partitioning plate thereabove, a sieve extending across said chamber within the lower section thereof at a level which is abovethe level of convergence of converging lines drawn .upwardly from adjacent edges of adjacent apertures in the uppermost partitioning plate at an angle with the horizontal of about 65-'15 degrees, said sieve having closely spaced -openings uniformly distributed' therein withbut regards to the apertures in said uppermost partitioning plate, said openings being` of sumcient size to allow free flow of the Vcontact material therethrough but being of smaller size than the apertures in the uppermost partitioning plate.

3. In an apparatus for contacting gasiphase lreactants with particle form solid contact mass spam y partition cross-sectional area entireiy'across said 'partition and the total cross-sectional area of said holes being lessthan that of said vessel, and

- each of said succeeding partitions having a grad- .ually decreasing number of holes therethrough, said latter holes in cach of said succeeding partitions being horizontally staggered between the holes in the partition directly thereabove in such a manner as to receive proportionate now of solid from said holes thereabove, a solid material discharge conduit connected .to said vessel below the lowermost' of said partitions, the inlet thereof being symmetrically placed withv regard to said holes in said lowermost partition, ilow control means on said conduit to govern the iiow rate of solid material through said vessel. and a sieve sieve being closely and uniformly spaced across the sieve without regards to the position of the holes in said uppermost partition.

4.A reactor for the conversion of a reactant in the presence of -amoving particle-form solid contact mass material-with substantially equal exposure of all points of the contact mass comprising a chamber having a tapering lower portion terminating in a discharge duct, now

throttling means associated with said discharge duct, a series of horizontal partitioning plates in the lower portion of said chamber, the uppermost plate thereof defining the iioor of a reaction space, means to supply reactantsv and means to withdraw reaction products associated with the chamber at a level above the uppermost partltioning plate. means to supply contact material to the upper portion of the chamber, said uppermost partitioning plate having a plurality of uniformly I0 successive partitioning plates being horizontally staggered with respect to apertures in the `partitioning plate thereabove. and for atleast one of said partitions an equalizing tube depending from the deiining edge of each aperture in registering position, said v equalizing tubes being of a length materials and with substantially equal exposure of all portions of the solid material: a vessel .adapted to laterally confine a substantially compact bed of downwardly moving particle from solid contact mass material, means to admit gasiphase reactant to said vessel and means to withvessel lying thereabove, the uppermost of said vpartitions having a plurality of holes therein,

said holes being of such size and arrangement across said partition as to provide a substantially v uniiormaperture cross-sectional area per unit of Il alseries of horizontal partitioning plates in the at least twice their diameter, a sieve extending across the lower section of said chamber at a level above the level of convergency of converging lines drawn upwardly from the nearest edge of adjacent apertures in the uppermost partispaced without regard to the horizontal positionl tioning plate, said sieve having uniformly distributed mesh openings therein which are closely of the apertures in said uppermost partitioning l plate and which are smaller than said apertures but of suiilcient size to permit free iiow of the contact material-therethrough.

5. A reactor for the conversion of a reactant in the presence of a moving particle-form solid 'I'. contact mass material with substantially equal exposure of all points of the contact mass comprising a chamber having a tapering lower portion terminatingin a discharge duct, now-throttling means associated with said discharge duct,

lower portion of said chamber, the uppermost plate thereof defining the floor of a reaction space, means to supply reactants and means to withdraw reaction products associated with the chamber at a level above the uppermost partitioning plate, means to supply contact material to the upper portion of the chamber, said uppermost partitioning plate having a plurality of uniformly distributed equal diameter holes therein and successive partitioning plates below said rst partitioning plate having progressively decreasing numbers of equal holes of progressively increasing size therein, said holes in any one of said successive partitioning plates being horizontally staggered with respect to holes in the partitioning plate thereabove and the holes in the lowermost partitioning plate being symmetrically placed with regard to said discharge duct, conduits open at their ends dependently associated with each of the holes in the partitioning plates below the uppermost partitioning plate, said conduits terminating short of the partitioning plate REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Evans Dec. 3, 1946 Number 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR HYDROCARBON CONVERSION IN THE PRESENCE OF A MOVING SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT COLUMN OF PARTICLE FORM CATALYST, APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING UNIFORM FLOW OF CATALYST ACROSS THE ENTIRE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID COLUMN WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: MEANS DEFINING A REACTION CHAMBER, MEANS TO SUPPLY PARTICLE FORM CATALYST TO THE UPPER END OF SAID CHAMBER, A DISCHARGE CONDUIT FOR WITHDRAWAL OF CATALYST FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID DISCHARGE CONDUIT BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESS CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THAN SAID CHAMBER, FLOW THROTTLING MEANS ON SAID DISCHARGE CONDUIT, A PARTITION EXTENDING ACROSS THE LOWER SECTION OF SAID CHAMBER; A PLURALITY OF UNIFORMLY SPACED ORIFICES IN SAID PARTITION ARRANGED TO SUBDIVIDE SAID COLUMN INTO A PLURALITY OF UNIFORMLY SPACED STREAMS, MEANS TO PROPORTIONATELY CONVERGE SAID STREAMS INTO SAID DISCHARGE CONDUIT, A SIEVE POSITIONED ACROSS THE LOWER SECTION OF SAID CHAMBER AT A LEVEL ABOVE THE LEVEL OF CONVERGENCE OF LINES DRAWN UPWARDLY FROM THE NEAREST EDGES OF ADJACENT ORIFICES IN SAID PARTITION AT AN ANGLE WITH THE HORIZONTAL EQUAL TO ABOUT 65-75 DEGREES, SAID SLEEVE HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN WHICH ARE UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE CHAMBER IRRESPECTIVE OF THE POSITIONING OF SAID ORIFICES IN SAID PARTITION AND WHICH ARE SMALLER IN SIZE THAN SAID ORIFICES BUT OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO PERMIT SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED FLOW OF SAID CATALYST THERETHROUGH. 